Spanish

Spanish lessons

Whether you holiday every year in the Canary Islands, fancy touring South America or just want to try that new tapas restaurant in town but can’t decipher the menu, Spanish is a handy language to learn.

Courses in Spanish run from beginner level, which will sort you out with the basic phrases you’ll need on holiday, right through to advanced lessons which aim to make you fluent. You can learn in a group by taking classroom lessons, much like the ones you did at school, or go for one to one tuition so all the focus is on you.

Learn from those in the know

A lot of Spanish courses are run by native Spanish speakers and so you’ll get the advantage of learning from someone who has the best grasp of the language. Many other teachers will have spent time in a Spanish speaking country, possibly working there, and so they will be fluent and ready to share their knowledge with you.

Spanish classes are all about trying out the words and getting an idea of how the feel on your tongue so you won’t be able to sit in silence. Some teachers even impose a ‘no English’ ban which involves speaking to you only in Spanish so you can really absorb the language. This can be incredibly effective since this is how native speakers often learn.

Career paths

Learning Spanish will open a lot of doors, regardless of the career you wish to pursue as most employers will look favourably upon any applicants who can boast that they’re bilingual. There are some obvious jobs for people who can speak more than one language though, including interpreting, foreign language teaching, and working with worldwide charities.

Speaking Spanish will also offer up employment options abroad. Mexico is one country whose economy is on the rise and where your Spanish knowledge could come in handy. Or, if you’d rather stay closer to home, Spain is a popular destination for many British born workers looking to relocate and seeking some sunshine.

Spanish culture

As part of your studies you might also look at Spanish culture and traditions in order to get a bit of a background to the subject. Sure we’ve all heard of Enrique Iglesias and Shakira, but there is some fantastic Spanish music out there, where the classical guitar is heavily used and flamenco dancing influences the beat. Then there’s the delicious Spanish food. Tapas bars are Spain’s most famous culinary offering where you sample small plates of appetisers typically featuring a mix of different food such as chilli peppers, chorizo and lots of fresh bread.

Spanish cinema is also very popular throughout the world and Mexican director Guillermo del Toro is perhaps the most famous name in the Spanish film world. Watch Pan’s Labyrinth and enjoy a bit of dark fantasy while practicing your verb conjugation.

Some basic Spanish

Spanish is a romance language with lots of nods to Latin so it’s quite nice on the ear. Get practicing before your first lesson and whip out a few of these phrases to really impress your teacher –

‘¿Hola amigo como estas?’ – Hello, how are you?

‘¿Cómo te llamas?’ – What is your name?

‘Encantado de conocerte’ – Nice to meet you.

‘Me encanta España’ – I love Spain.

View from a student

Mark O’Donoghue has been taking Spanish lessons once a week for the last year and can now (fairly) confidently converse in the language. We asked him a few quick questions to get an insider’s view of studying the subject.

What’s your favourite Spanish phrase and what does it mean?

Tengo hambre. Means I’m hungry – a very important phrase for a bloke in any language.

What’s the hardest thing about learning Spanish?

The subjunctive. It’s a tense that doesn’t exist in English and so using it appropriately does not come naturally. At least that’s been the hardest so far….

What’s the most fun?

Discussing the different ways in which idiomatic phrases translate (or more frequently, how they don’t). It’s roulette as to whether a piece of vernacular in English has a directly translatable Spanish equivalent. Always worth a go though – you know pretty quickly whether it works based on our tutor’s look of blank incomprehension.

Have you used Spanish in any interesting situations since you started studying it?

Managed to negotiate a reduction in a bill on holiday – pressure Spanish when you’re trying to avoid getting ripped off and you’re already in a ‘fragile state’ (from the amount of wine that had been consumed, which while significant, was not nearly as much as claimed on the bill!)

Whether you holiday every year in the Canary Islands, fancy touring South America or just want to try that new tapas restaurant in town but can’t decipher the menu, Spanish is a handy language to learn.

Courses in Spanish run from beginner level, which will sort you out with the basic phrases you’ll need on holiday, right through to advanced lessons which aim to make you fluent. You can learn in a group by taking classroom lessons, much like the ones you did at school, or go for one to one tuition so all the focus is on you.

Learn from those in the know

A lot of Spanish courses are run by native Spanish speakers and so you’ll get the advantage of learning from someone who has the best grasp of the language. Many other teachers will have spent time in a Spanish speaking country, possibly working there, and so they will be fluent and ready to share their knowledge with you.

Spanish classes are all about trying out the words and getting an idea of how the feel on your tongue so you won’t be able to sit in silence. Some teachers even impose a ‘no English’ ban which involves speaking to you only in Spanish so you can really absorb the language. This can be incredibly effective since this is how native speakers often learn.

Career paths

Learning Spanish will open a lot of doors, regardless of the career you wish to pursue as most employers will look favourably upon any applicants who can boast that they’re bilingual. There are some obvious jobs for people who can speak more than one language though, including interpreting, foreign language teaching, and working with worldwide charities.

Speaking Spanish will also offer up employment options abroad. Mexico is one country whose economy is on the rise and where your Spanish knowledge could come in handy. Or, if you’d rather stay closer to home, Spain is a popular destination for many British born workers looking to relocate and seeking some sunshine.

Spanish culture

As part of your studies you might also look at Spanish culture and traditions in order to get a bit of a background to the subject. Sure we’ve all heard of Enrique Iglesias and Shakira, but there is some fantastic Spanish music out there, where the classical guitar is heavily used and flamenco dancing influences the beat. Then there’s the delicious Spanish food. Tapas bars are Spain’s most famous culinary offering where you sample small plates of appetisers typically featuring a mix of different food such as chilli peppers, chorizo and lots of fresh bread.

Spanish cinema is also very popular throughout the world and Mexican director Guillermo del Toro is perhaps the most famous name in the Spanish film world. Watch Pan’s Labyrinth and enjoy a bit of dark fantasy while practicing your verb conjugation.

Some basic Spanish

Spanish is a romance language with lots of nods to Latin so it’s quite nice on the ear. Get practicing before your first lesson and whip out a few of these phrases to really impress your teacher –

‘¿Hola amigo como estas?’ – Hello, how are you?

‘¿Cómo te llamas?’ – What is your name?

‘Encantado de conocerte’ – Nice to meet you.

‘Me encanta España’ – I love Spain.

View from a student

Mark O’Donoghue has been taking Spanish lessons once a week for the last year and can now (fairly) confidently converse in the language. We asked him a few quick questions to get an insider’s view of studying the subject.

What’s your favourite Spanish phrase and what does it mean?

Tengo hambre. Means I’m hungry – a very important phrase for a bloke in any language.

What’s the hardest thing about learning Spanish?

The subjunctive. It’s a tense that doesn’t exist in English and so using it appropriately does not come naturally. At least that’s been the hardest so far….

What’s the most fun?

Discussing the different ways in which idiomatic phrases translate (or more frequently, how they don’t). It’s roulette as to whether a piece of vernacular in English has a directly translatable Spanish equivalent. Always worth a go though – you know pretty quickly whether it works based on our tutor’s look of blank incomprehension.

Have you used Spanish in any interesting situations since you started studying it?

Managed to negotiate a reduction in a bill on holiday – pressure Spanish when you’re trying to avoid getting ripped off and you’re already in a ‘fragile state’ (from the amount of wine that had been consumed, which while significant, was not nearly as much as claimed on the bill!)

FAQs

I’ve done GCSE Spanish – which level should I start lessons at?

It depends on how confident you feel. For people who feel like they’ve forgotten everything, a beginners’ class might be best, but if it’s still fresh in your mind you might want to go for intermediate.

How much homework is involved?

You’ll probably get a fair bit of homework, especially if you’re only meeting with your teacher once or twice a week. This will be crucial in ensuring you don’t forget everything in between your lessons.

Will I be expected to speak Spanish in front of other classmates?

If you take group classes, it’s likely. Part of effectively learning a language involves speaking it aloud so you’ll have to do this in order to progress.

Can I learn Spanish online?

Yes. As with all online courses, you’ll need to be dedicated and self motivated to learn online as you won’t have structured classes like you would if you were to study in a group or organise one to one lessons. You’ll also have to get over the initial weirdness of saying things aloud to an empty room.

How long will it be until I’m fluent?

How long is a piece of string? The answer to this question very much depends on the time you put into learning the language and the work you’re willing to do in your spare time. The more you practise, the sooner you’ll sound like you were actually born in Barcelona.

Will my teacher be Spanish?

Possibly. There are a lot of Spanish teachers in the UK who were born in Spain as well as many who originate from Spanish speaking countries such as those in South America. However, there are also a lot of British teachers who speak fluent Spanish and will be able to teach you just as well as a native speaker, many of whom will probably have spent lengths of time in Spanish-speaking countries perfecting their tenses.

What language will I be taught in?

This can vary. In the vast majority of cases, you’ll be taught in English but obviously speaking a lot of Spanish as you practise. However, there are some classes where you’ll find yourself leaving English at the door and speaking in Spanish the entire time – everything from your first greeting to the ‘Have a good weekend!’ as you exit will be in Spanish.

Are there any basic phrases I should know before I start?

No, you don’t have to know anything beforehand as you will be taught on the course. However, it might help if you have a quick look at the basics online as you’ll have a bit of a head start. It is worth noting though that if you’re going for advanced or intermediate Spanish you’ll be expected to already have a basic grasp on the language.

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